SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 07: Manager David Moyes during a Sunderland AFC training session at The Academy of Light on September 7, 2016 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images)

We face off with old boss David Moyes this weekend, and it's a little bit different to the last time we did. It's three years since he left to go and manage one of the biggest clubs in the world and, unfortunately, it just didn't work out for him.

It's a shame he'll be remembered for that, rather than the good things he did at Everton.

But people here still remember him, and so they should. He had 11 years at the job, steadied the ship at a time we were struggling, and then put us in a good position. He more than kept our heads above water, and at a time when we lacked the funds, we contested.

I actually think his last year at Goodison was the best we played under him.

That won't matter to Ronald Koeman, of course. Others will make this out to be a big game because of the Moyes factor, but Koeman won't be fazed. He's been in games with history behind them before - look at his face off with Louis van Gaal last season – and he's handled it really well, and I'm sure he will do now.

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There's nothing to fear going there. We know what we're going to face against a Moyes side, although you could argue they're not really his team yet. He's gone there at a strange time, with the club in a bit of turmoil after losing Sam Allardyce to England.

You don't expect to be installed as a manager at that time of the year, he's had everything thrown at him quickly. You can bring players in, but there will be deals already being done which you just don't fancy, and you have to pull the plug.

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Instead of gearing towards the new campaign, you're having to mould a team. It's tough. Once he gets going, Sunderland will no doubt hope he can do what he did here – go from relegation battlers to top half mainstays.

But Everton can take advantage of that of all the turmoil on Monday. We have players in our side who are match winners, and have proven it already.

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We can't go there and expect to win, obviously. We have to make it happen. Going there expecting them to lie down just isn't good enough, even if their preparation hasn't been the best.

You expect a slow start from Sunderland every season, let alone this one, but you know Moyes and Sunderland will make it as unpleasant and ugly as they can. If you don't expect that, you'll be in trouble.

Dave will know his best chance of survival will be picking up points at home. He'll have them ready for this.

But the one thing you can do there is turn the home side against their own players, and Everton should look to do that.

Holgate has to be sacrificed, it's part of his development

There's a few questions over the starting line-up for Sunderland. It's nice to have these sort of dilemmas.

Seamus Coleman came back and captained Republic of Ireland this week, so you wonder if he goes straight back into the team.

He should do, though. If he's fit, you play him. You have to pick your best team.

That might seem a little harsh on Mason Holgate, who has done really well so far. But it's simply part of his development. That we can use him with such confidence speaks volumes of what sort of player he is becoming.

It depends on what Koeman opts for, too. It could be a flat back four, or maybe it's the wing-back system, which might see Holgate retain his place. The manager has so many options there and it's nice to see competition for places.

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But if you have an international player in that position, and he's fit to play, then he starts. He's a top player and gives you 110%.

Speaking of internationals, there were two goals for Romelu Lukaku this week, too. No drought in Belgium colours, anyway.

Look, strikers always go through droughts and I have no doubt he'll end his in blue soon. We're still winning games, so he must be contributing in some other way. It doesn't matter if the drought is a month, two months, three or four – if the team is winning, what's the issue?

The longer the drought goes on, the more you think. I always find goalscorers do their best stuff on instinct. When they do get time to think they struggle.

There's a lot more pressure on them, and you see what it means. It's a test for him but it's how you come through it.

What a difference four months makes!

Everton have had some good results on Wearside down the years, but last season definitely was the worst.

It represented a real low-point in the season, getting turned over 3-0 against a side battling to survive. It was also Roberto Martinez's last game in charge, of course.

You've already seen the change, and what a fresh voice and fresh ideas can do. You're not hearing the same thing week in, week out.

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It doesn't look as if this manager hides from the facts that are staring him in the face, for starters.

What I like is that he was a brilliant player, so his natural inclination is to find a fault in his performance. No matter how much of a player you are – you remember the bad thing as well. That's the sign of a good player.

That's the sign of a good manager, too, and you can bet that's what he's like with this Everton side. Always telling them where to improve, even after such a solid start to the season.

He'll be picking up on the things the general public don't see. If we concede a goal, it won't just be the last mistake that was made, but what went wrong in the three or four phases before that. It's really refreshing.